Eric Vincent Marchand

On Saturday, July 1, 2023, Eric Vincent Marchand passed away peacefully in Houston, Texas. Eric began his life with Willie and Maybell (LeBlanc) Marchand on October 18, 1946, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He served as an altar boy at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and graduated from Sacred Heart High School. In high school he became the first African American to work in retail in downtown Lake Charles and to integrate the lunch counter at Woolworths. After graduating, he served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. When his tour ended, he briefly worked in the petrochemical industry before becoming a photographer for the Lake Charles American Press and for KPLC-TV. At the American Press, he won the award for Best Photo Feature in Louisiana for the market size ("Mayor Overboard"). After moving to Houston, he again worked in petrochemicals before becoming a self-taught web designer and owner.

Eric was a uniquely intelligent individual who was impossible to beat in any game that relied on facts, memory, or strategy. He possessed a remarkable sense of humor that reflected the absurdities of life as he saw them. Time spent with him usually meant gales of laughter and much head-shaking at his unimaginable point of view. He possessed a kind and loving heart coupled with a dedication to living life on his own terms. He was a country boy at heart whose fondest hope was to live in the country where he could fish, hunt, and hang out on the back porch.

Eric was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Sandra Marchand Solomon. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Briscoe Marchand; his son, John Michael Marchand (both of Houston, Texas); his daughters, Tamara Lynn Briscoe (Austin, Texas), and Erica Joy Marchand (Los Angeles, California); granddaughters Jessica Briscoe (Washington, D.C.), and Cyan McDay (Austin, Texas). Also mourning his loss are his brothers, Michael Marchand (Juanita), Gregory Marchand (Rosalind), Gerard Marchand (Tonta), all of Houston, Texas; his sisters Monica Marchand, Judy Hampton, and Andrea Hawkins (Macrland), all of Chester, Virginia, a host of nieces and nephews, and his beloved dogs Kira and Bosco.